Litter



Oct. 18, 1938. w. I .gGlTTlNHGs ET AL 2,133,692

LITTER Filed Feb. 26, 1937 l ZY Y wdr/Mya! Patented ont. 1s, 193.8 2,133,692

lUNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE LITTER william n Giuings nna Newton N. Brown, Racine,

Wis., assignors to Gold Medal Folding Fnrniture Company, Racine, Wis.

Application February 26, 1937, serial No. 127,937'

l 3 claims. (C1. 5s2) This invention pertains to litters of the folding Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on the type, and has primarily for its object to provide line 2 2 of Figure 1. an exceedingly light,compact, and foldable litter, Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section having improved fittings to 'facilitate assembly taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

5 and handling, and at the same time furnish Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation 5 maximum comfort for the occupant. of one of the-side bar hinges, with parts broken Incidental to the foregoing, a more specic obaway and in section, to more clearly illustrate ject of the invention resides in the provision of structural features.

an improved design of transverse braces, con- Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a modistructed to allow maximum stretch of the canvas fled form of foldable side bar and support. 10 cover under the weight of the occupant, without Figure 6 is a transverse section similar to Figcontacting the braces, and at the same time mainure 2, and illustrating a modified form of transtain the desired compactness of the litter in both verse brace, and 'extended orcollapsed condition. n Figure 'I is a reduced plan view of the litter u Another object resides in the provision of a illustrated in Figure l, showing the preferred l5 novel form of locking hinge for the side bars of the manner in which the transverse braces are litter to permit the same to be folded back upon broken. themselves. Referring now more particularly to the accom- Afurther object is to provide rule jointed braces panying drawing, that form of the invention il- 2o adapted to breakin the same direction, to facililustrated in Figure 1 comprises a pair of sec- 20 tate collapsing of the litter, and toprovide tional side bars indicated by the numeral l, and clearance between one another when the side rails provided with hinges 9 intermediate their ends,

unfolded upon themse1ves to allow the same to be folded back upon them- A still further object is to provide a litter with selves.

metallic tubular side lrails equipped with end As best shown in Figure 4, the hinges 9 com- 25 hand-grips made of wood. composition, or other prise a pair of wings I0 connected by a pintle thermal insulating material, to eliminate diffi- I'I, and provided withaiined plugs I2 and I3', recuities and discomfort in handling under condispectlvely, which are secured within the ends of tions of extreme cold 0r heat, the adjacent tubular sections of the side rails 8.

Lastly, it is an object of the invention to pm- The plug I3 is provided with a central orifice Il. 30 vide supports for the side rails of the litter. and in Which a plllllgel'A l5 1S SlidB-bly mounted- A attachment of the transverse braces, provided 11111111131118 l5 iS Carried by the plunger l5, and exwith hinged brackets connected to the end sectends thl'llgh allned bayonet slots I1 formed tions of the yside rails to provide maximum comin both the 111g I3 and tubular side bar 8, thus pactness of the litter when collapsed for storage allowing the plunger t0 be projected into the 35 or mrtabmty adjacent plug I2, to firmly lock the sections towith the above 'and other objects Ain view, sether. or retracted. to allow collapsing of the which will appear as'the description proceeds, the Sectlons Y A C011 Spring I8 positioned within the invention resides in the novel construction, comormce u serves to urge the Plunge? l5 t0 Project- 0 bination. and arrangement of parts, substantially ed Position. 40 as hereinafter described, and more particularly Obviously use, of tubular metallic Side bars" dei'lned by the appended claims, it being underprovides for maximum Strength and lightness 0l" stood that such changes in the precise embodi- 3:; httelr However m. actual use 0f the metallic ment of the herein disclosed invention may be e rai s-a' senous obJection has arisen in that made as come within the scope of the olnims.-

lieg nder condition f either 45 1 In the accompanying drawing is innstrnted ono serious disc ria i'n tding 0f the-litter causes complete example of the physical embodiment of o o a excessive ld causes the present invention constructed according to gtlnetga'ltcrohls trgi me; the best mode so far devised for the practicalapdamp :,1- wet weather the rails becom slippery' 50 plication of the principles thereof. and it is difficult to lfmmtam a secure grip upon' In the drawlrlg the same. Therefore, one of the features of the Figure 1 is a side elevation of a litter in -expresent; invention resides in the provision of tended condition, and embodying certain novel hand-grips I! formed of wood, composition, or

featuresy included in the present invention. other thermal insulating material, which is a I5 poor conductor of cold or heat. The grips I9 are provided with lugs I8 inserted into the ends of the side bars, and secured thereto in any suitable manner.

The customary canvas or fabric cover 20 employed is provided with longitudinal hems 2| for reception of the side bars 8, and secured `to the side bar sections over the canvas 20 adjacent their ends are the usual supports 22. Bolts 23 passing through the cover and side bars serve to attach the supports 22, and also secure the canvas hems against longitudinal shifting on the side bars.

For the purpose of securing the parts of the litter together in folded position, suitabletie straps 24 are provided and secured against detachment when not in use by passing their ends between the side rails and saddle 25 formed on the supports 22, the inner face of the saddle being provided with an arcuate groove 2E for reception of the strap. A hem 21 formed on the end of the strap prevents itswithdrawal from the support.

Pivotally connected to each pair of supports 22 is a transverse brace 28 provided with an intermediate rule joint 29, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3. The pivotal ends of the braces are provided with elongated hubs 30 disposed between the saddles 25 and the webs 22 carried by the supports. A loose pintle 3|, passing through the saddle 25, hub 30, and web 22', rests in a recess 32 formed in the foot of the support, as best shown in Figure 3, and, obviously, when the support is attached to the litter, the pintle is held in assembled position without the aid of fastening means, thus reducing both cost of manufacture and assembly. Here particular attention is directed to the fact that the transverse braces 28 extend from the elongated hubs 30 ad'- jacent their lower ends, thus serving to space the braces a suicient distance below the canvas 20 to permit thesame to stretch downwardly under the weight of an occupant, without contact with the braces, thus eliminating discomfort and more serious injury to the occupant. A

While that form of the invention illustrated in Figure 3 is preferred, due to its rigidity, similar results can beobtained by elimination of the hubs 30, as illustrated in Figure 6, and dropping the intermediate portions of the braces downwardly to provide the desired clearance below the canvas.

As best shown in Figure '7, the rule jointed transverse braces 28 are positioned to break in the same direction, as indicated by the arrows. This materially facilitates extending and collapsing of the litter, in that the same can be accomplished by the operator from one end, whereas were the braces to break in opposite directions,

` either the litter must be reversed to manipulate each brace, or the operator must move from one end of the litter to the other. 'I'his feature is important, in that in actual use it is customary to break the braces'with the litter in a vertical position, and, as explained, the present arrangement allows the lower brace to be broken downwardlywith the foot and the upper brace pulled downwardly with the hand. Were the upper brace to work in an opposite direction, the litter is of such length as to make it impossible for the average height person to reach or exert sufiicient leverage to break the same upwardly. Incidental to the foregoing, an additional advantage resides in the fact that where the side bars are broken or hinged centrally of their ends to provide for folding back upon themselves, breaking the braces in both directions causes them to clear one another when the litter is folded, thus providing a more compact bundle for storage or transportation.

Figure 'illustrates a,4 modification of the present invention,in that instead of providing for a central joint in each of the side bars 8, each bar comprises an intermediate section 8', and end sections 8". In this structure the supports 33 secured to the sections 8 are provided with hinged brackets 34 connected to the end sections 8" by means of the bolts 35. Bolts 36 passing through the sections l serve to attach the cover, the supports 33, and transverse braces 25 in assembled position.

From the foregoing explanation, considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily seen that an exceedingly light, compact, and durable litter has been provided, which because of the improved fittings can be produced and assembled at a minimum cost. At the same time, maximum comfort is pro vided for the occupant, and collapsing and handling of the litter are materially facilitated under all conditions.

We claim:

1. A folding litter comprising a fabric cover, a pair of tubular metal side bars carried by the longitudinal edges of the cover, supports secured to said side bars adjacent their ends, hinged transverse braces each connecting an end set of supports, a loose'pintle carried by said supports pivotally connecting the ends of said braces, said pintles being held against longitudinal displacement by said side bars.

2. A. collapsible folding litter comprising a fabric cove, a pair of side bars carried by the longitudinal edges of the cover, supports secured to said side bars adjacent their ends and rulejointed, transverse braces connecting each end set of supports, the central rule joint of both braces breaking in the same direction.

3. A folding litter comprising a fabric cover, a pair of side bars carried by the longitudinal edges of said cover, each side bar being' provided with a hinge joint to permit the sections to be folded back upon themselves, supports secured to said side bars adjacent their ends, and hinged transverse braces pivotally secured to said supports, said bracesy being provided with central rule joints adapted to break in the same direction.

` WILLIAM L. AGIITINGSt NEWTON N. BROWN. 

